Pivotal connection



Jan. 3, 1933. 1 Q KlRBY 1,892,896

PIVOTAL CONNECTION Filed Feb. 14, 1929 Y zo Iagueatof Patented Jan. 3,1933 UNITED STATES JAMES B. KIRBY, F WEST RICHFIELD, OHIO PIvoTALCONNECTION Application led'February 14, 1929. y.Serial No. 339,969.

This invention relates to pivotal connections and has for its object animproved connection between two pivote'd members such as the handle andthe casing of a vacuum cleaner whereby the handle is resiliently held inone position when the cleaner is not -in use, without in any wayimpending the ready dis# connection of the parts upon occasion. Certainillustrative embodiments of'my invention are shown in the drawingaccompanying and forming a part of this application, in which Fig. 1 isa side elevation of asuction cleaner embodying my improvements; Fig. 2is a top plan view drawn to enlarged scale ofthe cleaner shown in Fig.1, the handle being turned until its axis is parallel to the axis of thecleaner casing; Fig. 3 is a view drawn to still further enlarged scalecorresponding to the line 3 3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a. sectional viewcorrespon-ding to the line 4 4 of Fig. 3 Fig. 5 is a view similar toFig. 3 showing a slightly modified construction; and Fig. 6 is asectional view corresponding to the line 6 6 of Fig. 5.

and also the extremities of the fork-arms being apertured for thereception of the horizontal pin 9 by which the fork is pivotally securedto the casing. Suspended from this handle near its free end is a dustbag 10, whose mouth is attached to the outlet neck V4.5 11 of the fancasing. The weight of this dust bag taken in conjunction with its modeof attachment to the cleaner casing renders it difficult for the handle8 to remain upright, and to overcome this difficulty, and at the sametime to secure certain advantages in the The casing of the cleanerherein chosenV operation of the cleaner itself, I have provided thefollowing construction Through the apertures-in the lugs 6, 6 I passahorizontal, hollow, cylindrical, metal sleeve 12 closely embracing thepin 9, and around thissleeve in embracing relation I provide a helicalspring 13,having one end rigidly anchored to one lug as shown at 14, andhaving the opposite end operatively butV detachably secured to one armof the handle fork. That may be effected inmany ways, twoV of which areshown herein. In the form of the invention shown in Figs. y2, 3, and 4one of the lugs 6 is formed with a deep, narrow slot 15 perpendicular tothe axis ofthe sleeve 12 and receiving a movable metal fitting 16, whichis apertured for the passage of the sleeve 12 in such wise that theVfitting is rotatable about said sleeve while'being held securely againstremoval. AV tongue 17 integral with thisfitting is bentlaterally overthe free end of the spring 13, and the latter is formed with a hook 18,interlocked with said tongue. A pair of `fingers 19, 19 projecting Vfromsaid fitting and defining between them a slot 2,0 receive between them apart of the handle fork of such as the ear 21; and another projection 22carried by said fitting is formed to engagelsome part of the cleanercasing to constitute a stop for the handle when in the properuprightposition. The direction of twist of the spring'13'is' such as always tothrow the handle upwardly. When the stop `22 is in engagement` with thecasing and the handle is upright, as shown in'Fig. 1, the pin 9 can bewithdrawn without difiiculty and the handle released. To hold` the pinagainst accidental removal I have` shown a friction spring 24 therein,

the same being made arcuate in shape and inserted in the hollow bore 25with which said pin is formed, the bight of said spring projectingthrough a longitudinal slot 26 in the wall of said bore and pressingfrictionally against the interior of the tube 12. I

have `also shown the spring 13 as concealed Y and protected by a sheetmetal housing 27.

In Figs. 5 and`6 Ihave shown a modified construction employing the samesleeve 12 and spring 13, ibut with amodilied kind .of

connecting fitting. In this modification the spring is surrounded by arotatable, metal tube 30, having secured to one end the fitting 31,which is thus located between the lugs 6, 6. Said fitting 3l is formedwith two spaced fingers 32, 32 which traverse the top of one of the lugsand embrace between them one ofthe arms 7 of the handle fork. A thirdfinger 83 carried by said fitting constitutes a stop; and the free end18 of the spring is connected to this tube and fitting in such Wise asto move the handle in the desired direction.

It will be seen that the sleeve has no essential function except to holdthe spring in line and in some cases can be omitted. It, will also beunderstood that this invention is not limited to suction cleaners, butcan be employed wherever a handle is attached to a device to be operatedthereby; and that the spring need not be so arranged as to throw thehandle away from the device, since sometimes it is desirable to causethe handle, when not in use, to lie closely beside the device; certainfeatures of the invention are also applicable to other pivotalconnections, wherefore I do not limit myself to any of the detailsherein shown and described except as those details are specificallyshown and recited in my several claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

1. In al device of the character described, in combination, a deviceadapted to be moved about a supporting surface, an operating handlepivoted to said device upon a hori- Zontal axis which is transverse tosaid handie, and means for securing said handle to said device,comprising a removable pin, a coiled spring surrounding said pin. andhaving one of its endsvfastened to said device, and a fittingoperatively secured to the other end of said spring, and mounted forrotation about said axis and having a part detachably inter-engaged withsaid handle.

2. In a device of the character described, a movable device having apair of spaced, apertured lugs, a movable memberhaving a pair of spacedapertured arms overlapping the outer faces of said lugs, a pintraversing all said apertures and holding said miembers pivotallytogether, a coiled spring surrounding said pin, andhaving one end fixedrelatively to one of said lugs, and a. movable member secured to` theother end of said spring and constrainedto move about the axis definedby said pin, said fitting having fingers detachably interengaged with apart of one of said arms.

3. In a device of the character described, y

a movable device having a pair of spaced, apertured lugs, a movablemember having'a pair Yof spaced aperturedf arms overlapping the outerfaces of said lugs, a hollow sleeve mounted in saidlugs coaxial withtheapertures therein, a coil spring surrounding said sleeve, a fittingsecured to and movable With one end of said spring, the other end ofsaid spring being fixed, and ai removable p-in traversing the aperturesin said arms and mounted in said sleeve, said fitting and one of saidarms havin interengaging parts.

4. In a device o the character described, in combination, a supportingmember, a second member coaxial therewith, a removable pivot pin coaxialwith both said members whereby said members are pivoted together, and aspring actuated element carried by one of said members and pivotedcoaxially with said pin and having projections adapted to interfit withthe other member to hold said members in a predetermined relativeposition' without. impeding the removal or replacement of said pin.

5. In a vacuum cleaner, a cleaner body, a handle pivoted in relationthereto, means tending normally to move said handle into a generallyupright position, including a lever, an operative connection betweensaid lever and said handle, and yielding means tending normally torotate said lever in a predetermined direction.

In testimony whereof I hereunto1 affix my signature.

JAMES B. KIRBY.

